South Carolina sets export records six years running

Record export sales prove importance of international trade for South Carolina | palmettobusinessdaily.com

Still the top exporter of completed passenger vehicles and tires, South Carolina set a sixth annual record for export sales in 2015, with a total of $30.9 billion, reported the U.S. Department of Commerce.

That represents a 4 percent increase over 2014 numbers.

The state partners with many foreign countries, with the top partners being Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Belgium, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and the Korean Republic. However, their top export partner is China, with more than $4.4 billion.

Gov. Nikki Haley says this is because the state’s workforce has “built a reputation as one of the best in the world,” leading to a certain level of trust from both domestic and foreign trade partners.

Other contributions to the successful growth of the export business include the Harbor Deepening Project, creating depths of 52 feet that allow for heavier cargo and larger ships in the harbor, as well as planned improvements to the terminal infrastructure for better accommodations.

Vehicle export sales alone increased over 2014 by 7.8 percent for the Palmetto State, adding up to $9.8 billion. That represents 18 percent of the entire United States market share. Because international trade has become essential to the state’s economy, the Department of Commerce and its partners strive to promote and encourage export activity with businesses all over the state.

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